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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23863651">There's Nothing In This World I Wouldn't Do.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamieB93/pseuds/JamieB93'>JamieB93</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Blood Feud [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abusive Parents, Abusive Relationships, Adorable Harley Keener, Child Abuse, Creep Norman Osborn, F/M, Harley Keener &amp; Peter Parker are Siblings, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, Harley Keener is a Good Bro, Harry Osborn Centric, Harry Osborn Is a Good Bro, Harry Osborn Needs a Hug, Insane Norman Osborn, Kid Harley Keener, Kid Harry Osborn, Kid Peter Parker, Norman Osborn Being a Jerk, Norman Osborn's A+ parenting, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Whump, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Peter Parker is a Mess, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Harley Keener, Protective Harry Osborn, Protective Peter Parker, adults suck, implied grooming</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 00:12:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,529</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23863651</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamieB93/pseuds/JamieB93</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Osborn is the eldest of three sons.</p><p>He knows his job is to protect his younger brothers, Peter and Harley. </p><p>But in a world that slowly seems to be breaking them down at every opportunity, Harry must come to terms with the fact that there's no one waiting in the wings, ready to swoop in and save him and his brothers from their tyrant of a father.</p><p>A father who is running for New York Senate and wants to project the image of the Perfect American Family.</p><p>The Osborne's were anything but. </p><p>[Part 3 of a planned series called Blood Feud]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Parker &amp; Harley Keener, Ben Parker &amp; Peter Parker, Ben Parker/May Parker (Spider-Man), Harley Keener &amp; Harry Osborn, Harley Keener &amp; Harry Osborn &amp; Peter Parker, Harley Keener &amp; Mary Parker, Harley Keener &amp; May Parker (Spider-Man), Harley Keener &amp; Norman Osborn, Harley Keener &amp; Peter Parker, Harry Osborn &amp; Ben Parker &amp; May Parker (Spider-Man) &amp; Peter Parker, Harry Osborn &amp; Mary Parker, Harry Osborn &amp; May Parker (Spider-Man), Harry Osborn &amp; Norman Osborn, Harry Osborn &amp; Peter Parker, Mary Parker &amp; Peter Parker, May Parker (Spider-Man) &amp; Peter Parker, Ned Leeds &amp; Peter Parker, Norman Osborn &amp; Peter Parker, Norman Osborn/Mary Parker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Blood Feud [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1709539</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>There's Nothing In This World I Wouldn't Do.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i hate all the adults in this story oops</p><p>but i adore my boys. my sons.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Blood Feud: The Gathering Storm</strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p><span class="u">Part Three: </span>There’s Nothing In This World I Wouldn’t Do.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Saturday, 16<sup>th</sup> July 2005, Osborne Resort, Miami, Florida.</em>
</p><p>Ten-Year Old Harry Osborne sat and angrily prodded at the sand of his families private beach. The surly adolescent grimaced as he wrote ‘I Hate Dad’ in the sand with a stick he’d come across after he’d angrily stormed out of a family dinner barely ten minutes before. Wiping some tears back from his eyes, Harry wondered if there was something else he could have said or done to avoid his Dad’s anger and if he really was the problem in the family. It seemed like Harry was always fighting with someone or upsetting them, they were probably all sitting around the dinner table, feeling very grateful that he’d finally left them alone and they could all be in peace.</p><p>“Stupid, stupid, stupid” Harry said grumpily as he rested his head in his hands. It had been ten minutes and no one had come down to make him come back inside, clearly they didn’t want him around. He was so confused. All he’d done is ask what they were having for desert and it had ended up in him telling both his parents that he hated them. His Dad had called him greedy but Harry hadn’t meant to be greedy, he was just asking because Peter wanted to know and was too scared to. Peter was scared of a lot of things and Harry just wanted to make him a little less frightened of everything.</p><p>Harry threw his stick into the ocean and screamed a little. Why was he so god damn useless? Peter was probably more upset and scared after the screaming argument than he had been before. Harley too. Harry was meant to be their big brother, meant to protect them and he really wanted to because he loved his little brothers more than anyone else, but his Dad was right. He always let them down because he was selfish and rude.</p><p>“Hey, I sneaked you a cookie” Peter’s little voice rang out from behind him and Harry turned around and smiled as his two younger brothers ran towards him, “Mom’s gonna be back late and Dad’s gone to the library with Uncle Beck so we gotta be careful”</p><p>Peter handed Harry a cookie and sat down on his left-hand side, Harley taking his eldest brother’s hand as he sat down on his right. Harry smiled. He could always count on his brothers.</p><p>“Thanks, Pete” Harry said with a smile as Harley cuddled into his side, Harry put an arm around his youngest brother’s shoulder, “I’m sorry that I shouted at Dad in front of you guys. I said I wouldn’t do that anymore”</p><p>“It’s OK” Peter replied with a shrug, “Daddy can be a bit rude sometimes, and you were only asking cos I asked you to. ‘S my fault, really.”</p><p>“No, it’s not” Harry snapped, “It’s my fault for being a jerk.”</p><p>“You’re not a jerk” Harley whined, “Daddy’s a jerk.”</p><p>“Harley, you shouldn’t talk about him like that” Peter said in a serious whisper, “Daddy’s very busy with all his sciencey stuff. He just gets tired sometimes and shouts cos he’s stressed. I heard Mama telling Aunt May the other day.”</p><p>“I don’t like it when it’s just us and him” Harley carried on moaning.</p><p>“Me either, pal” Harry sighed, “We should probably go back inside before he realizes you guys have gone and brought me a cookie.”</p><p>“Can we go to your room?” Harley asked, “You have a TV.”</p><p>Harry smiled and ruffled his littlest brother’s hair as they stood up and ran back in to the house together. Harry felt very grateful that his father and Beck were cooped up in the library doing business-y things as it meant the three brothers could quite easily sneak up to his bedroom without being seen. Harley got tired halfway up so Harry gave him a piggy back whilst Peter opened the doors for them. They passed the plate of cookies and couldn’t resist not taking the rest of them in a fit of childish glee. They were laughing by the time they reached Harry’s bedroom, the biggest of all the boys’ in the villa, as Harry dropped Harley on his King-sized bed and held back the cookie the younger was reaching for.</p><p>“Harley, you gotta promise if you eat the cookies you’re not gonna go all crazy” Harry said seriously, “I want you to stay tucked up next to me when we watch the movie, K?”</p><p>“Yes, I pwomise” Harley yawned as he ducked under the covers and readied himself to be sandwiched between his big brothers. Peter smiled and locked the door as Harry pulled out the DVD of the latest Harry Potter movie and put it in the player.</p><p>They snuggled into Harry’s bed, a brother under each arm, Harley’s head resting on his shoulder and Peter’s anxious little fingers twisting around Harry’s shorts. It was like they all knew. Until their Mom got home, they weren’t safe. Their Dad could do anything and Beck would just stand there. Until Mom got back, it was Harry who would keep Peter and Harley safe, and it was something he knew he wouldn’t hesitate for</p><p>“Uncle Vermon talks to Harry like Daddy talks to you” Harley noted ten minutes into the film as Harry Potter was sent to bed without dinner and told to pretend like he didn’t exist.</p><p>“Maybe it’s cos we’re both called Harry” he replied with a smirk, “It’s a cursed name.”</p><p>“Ssssh, no curses” Peter whined. Harry rolled his eyes, apparently Peter was not yet over his superstitious phase yet, he really regretted letting him watch The Wizard of Oz.</p><p>Harley fell asleep first, with Peter following less than a half an hour later, and Harry found himself well and truly wedged between his little brothers. He hadn’t heard a peep from his father or Beck for hours and felt relieved that they’d both probably gone to bed as it was after midnight. Harry’s heart leaped into his chest a few minutes later when his bedroom door slowly opened and he squinted a little as the light from the landing hit his eyes.</p><p>He hoped his Dad wouldn’t go too hard on him if Harley and Peter were in the room as well.</p><p>“I cannot believe that you had a movie night without Moi” the teasing voice of his mother rang out and Harry felt himself sag with relief. Her low, soothing voice was the biggest stress relief known to man and he never felt safer than when he was in her presence. Mary Osborne smiled and cautiously made her way over to the edge of Harry’s bed, sitting down just where Peter’s feet was sticking out of the bed covers. She lovingly pulled the covers a little over it.</p><p>“Hey mama” Harry yawned; he’d never been able to go to sleep unless she was in the house. It had been that way since he was six and his Dad had hit him for the first time.</p><p>“Hi sweetie” May smiled back, “You all look very cozy. It’s incredibly adorable.”</p><p>“Just a movie night” Harry shrugged, “We always do it when you’re not here. How was your thing with Auntie May?”</p><p>“Boring” Mary smirked, “I’d have much rather been back here with my three little princes, especially if I’d known there was a movie marathon going on. You know Mama makes the best popcorn.”</p><p>“Yeah, we missed it” Harry said, smiling back and feeling as if the slow dreaded anxiety he felt every time he and his brother’s were left alone with their father had simply never existed, “Maybe we can have an all-day movie marathon with Ben and May again, soon?”</p><p>“That sounds wonderful, darling” Mary replied, her smile fading a little, “Now, what’s all this about you and Dad having an argument over dinner? And you threw a chair on the ground and stormed out?”</p><p>“Oh” Harry replied, shrinking a little, “He told you, then.”</p><p>“Yes, baby, he did” Mary said sadly, “Honey, I know your Dad can be a bit intense and a little unreasonable sometimes but that’s now how we solve our problems, is it? Violence is never the answer.”</p><p><em>‘Tell him that’ </em>raced through Harry’s brain but he repressed it. He’d never tell his Mom that, he couldn’t, it would just upset her and then Harry would be the source of even more hurt and upset in the family. She probably wouldn’t even believe him, or worse she’d approve and let it keep happening. Sometimes a very scary part of Harry’s head wondered if she already knew and just didn’t care. Maybe his Mom thought he deserved it as well. He hated thinking like that, because Harry knew his Mom was the kindest and most caring person in the world but his mind like to play mean tricks on him sometimes. He just knew it was for the best that he kept it all inside, he didn’t want to be even more of a bother.</p><p>“I’m sorry” he replied and he meant it. Not sorry for making his Dad angry but sorry for making his Mom look disappointed and sad. He could never do anything right.</p><p>“I know you are, honey” May replied affectionately as she ran her hands through his blonde hair, “My little guy, we’re gonna get that temper of yours under control, OK? You’re so kind, Harry, I don’t want your anger to get the better of you like your father does. You-you’re a good boy, I know you are.”</p><p>He wanted to be. He wanted to be a good boy for his Mom and his brothers so much but he just kept messing up. Tears leaked from his eyes and he turned away from Mary, she didn’t need to see this, like his Beck had told him that afternoon; ten was way too old to be such a cry baby.</p><p>“Sorry” he muttered again</p><p>“Oh honey, no” Mary said sadly, “Don’t cry, baby, I’m not mad with you and you’re not in trouble. I know that you get angry sometimes and you can’t help what you do; I just want to help you be better. I love you so much honey, please don’t be upset.”</p><p>“OK Mommy, sorry” he whispered back, shoulders shaking as <em>be better, be better, be better </em>pounded around his head like a jackhammer over and over again. He would never be better. Harry Osborne was only ten and he was already a colossal failure of a human being even if he was “very handsome” and “had a mind brighter than most kids his age” like his Mom always made sure to tell him.</p><p>Did his Mom really hate him, like all the others? He knew his Dad did. Beck definitely did and even Harley sometimes acted like he hated Harry as well. The only people who didn’t were Ben and May but they were his Mom and Dad’s employees so they probably were just pretending so they didn’t get fired. The only person that Harry knew for sure didn’t hate him was Peter, because Peter wasn’t capable of hating anyone, even if it was someone as mean and selfish and violent as Harry. Unconsciously, Harry kissed Peter’s forehead as his mind raced a million miles an hour.</p><p>“What was that for?” Mary asked fondly as she watched a small smile creep across Peter’s sleeping form at Harry’s contact.</p><p>“Dunno, just love him I guess” Harry murmured, “When I got in trouble with Dad and stormed out, he found me and even brought me a cookie-oh wait, don’t tell Dad that, he said no!”</p><p>Panic set in to Harry once again as he realized how much trouble Peter and Harley would get in with their Dad if he found out they’d taken all the cookies when he’d said not to. God, he really was the worst and most selfish big brother on the planet! Everything his Dad said about him was right. Maybe he deserved to be hit after all?</p><p>“I’m guessing this is why there are cookie crumbs literally all over your covers?” Mary asked with a smirk, seemingly unaware of her eldest child’s inner turmoil, “Did you boys sneak the entire plate of cookies up here to watch the movie with? Don’t lie to me, Harry…”</p><p>“Yes” he admitted immediately, “I’m sorry Mom, we just-“</p><p>“Honey stop panicking” Mary said firmly, “It’s fine. I’d have probably done the same thing when I was your age. Don’t worry, it’ll be our little secret. I’ll just tell Dad I put them in the trash. He’ll never know. How many did you guys eat, though? I’m amazed Harley’s not still bouncing around the room, you know what he gets like with too much sugar.”</p><p>“I only let him have two!” Harry said quickly, “Honestly, cos of I knew he’d be too hyper but he really wanted to sleep in my bed cos he gets scared when you’re not here to tell him a story so I said he could stay but only if he didn’t eat so many cookies that-“</p><p>“Breathe, honey, breathe” Mary said, quietly maneuvering over Peter as her eldest son started to hyperventilate a little bit, “I already told you it’s alright, and you were very grown up to stop him eating all of them. I’m very proud of you.”</p><p>Harry felt like a loser as he beamed at the praise but he couldn’t help it, people didn’t say nice things about him very much so he grinned like an idiot anytime anyone did.</p><p>“Cos I love him too” Harry said quietly once again as he looked down at his littlest brother who had never looked more peaceful in sleep than he seemed to at that moment, “He hasn’t even whined or had a nightmare once!”</p><p>“That’s great” Mary said with a huge smile on her face, “You’re such a good big brother, Harry, don’t ever think you’re not. Look how happy Harley and Peter are when they’re here with you.”</p><p>Harry wiped a few more tears away as his mother hugged him and kissed his forehead. He smiled. Harry loved getting hugs, they were his favourite thing in the world. His Mom was the best hugger in the world but his Auntie May and Uncle Ben were very good as well. Ben’s didn’t happen much but Harry was OK with that, his Dad always said men don’t really hug. Uncle Skip hugged him sometimes, and it was nice, but he always seemed to hug Peter extra hard. Not that Harry minded that Peter was his Uncle Skip’s favourite, Peter was everyone’s favourite, even Harry’s.</p><p>“Are you going to bed, mama?” Harry asked.</p><p>“Yes honey, I’m exhausted” she yawned, “Unless you need me to stay for some reason?”</p><p>Harry looked at his little brother and knew that they didn’t need their Mom tonight. They seemed perfectly fine, sleeping and thinking that Harry was good enough to keep them safe. He supposed it was nice that they seemed to believe that, even if they were dead wrong. But he wanted to say yes. He wanted their Mom to stay, for him, to make him feel safe. But he couldn’t ask her, because that was weak, and Harry needed so badly to be strong and be better.</p><p>“No, we’re good” he barely managed to get the words out convincingly, “Go to bed. We can all have breakfast together in the morning, right?”</p><p>“Of course, honey” Mary said lowly as she leaned in and gave Harry’s forehead a quick kiss and then a slight side-hug before leaving; blowing a kiss to him before she closed the door behind her. Immediately, Harry felt the same old numbness settle in now his mother was gone but lay down in bed and tried to ignore it. Peter, ever generous even in sleep, curled into him and cast an arm over Harry’s waist and nuzzled into his neck.</p><p>“Love you” the boy whispered; Harry wasn’t even sure if Peter was awake.</p><p>“Love you too, Petey” Harley replied. As he drifted off to sleep, Harry Osborne knew that he was sure about three things. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his brothers, that his mother was the most awesome woman on the planet who he loved beyond anything he could even comprehend and that their was nothing a good hug couldn’t make seem better.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>
  <em>3 years later, Monday 11<sup>th</sup> August 2008, Osborne Manner, Long Island, NY.</em>
</p><p>“Harry! Harry!” Harley’s voice invaded Harry’s personal space in the soft yet incredibly firm way only his littlest brothers could, shaking his shoulder until he rolled over and tried to swat Harley away with the hand that wasn’t still tucked under his pillow, “Harry, you need to wake up!”</p><p>“No training today, Harry sleeping” Harry replied grumpily. He was exhausted after Peter’s birthday party yesterday, they didn’t go to bed until after 1am and Jessica Mauby and him had been caught making out behind the Ferris wheel by Ben, it had been an exhausting day and Harry just wanted to sleep in for once in his life, “Go and bug Peter.”</p><p>“I <em>can’t</em>” Harley said emphatically and that was all Harry needed to hear in order to spring him into action and out of his bed, “Petey had another fit last night. He’s not here. Mom’s downstairs with Ben and May. I hate it when this happens, Harry.”</p><p>“I know you do; I know you do” Harry sighed as he pulled his younger brother in for a hug. He winced as Harley collided with the part of his stomach where Beck had kicked him yesterday but as always he managed to hide it, “OK, you need to go and get dressed, alright? I’m gonna do the same and then we’ll go downstairs together and see how Mom wants us to help Peter, that good?”</p><p>Harley nodded but didn’t seem too reassured. Harry sighed and gave him a shoulder squeeze before letting him leave to get and get changed. Peter had been having fits in the night for almost five years now and Harry hated every second of it. It was so scary. Peter and their Dad would just not be their in the morning sometimes because Norman would rush Peter to their private hospital in Oscorp tower to treat him and then return in the morning once Peter was better. Peter never seemed to even remember the fits or going to the hospital and he always returned really tired, extra emotional and weak for the next few days.</p><p>It was routine, at this point, but that didn’t mean Harry hated it all any less. It still scared Harley, who then wouldn’t leave Peter’s side for at least a week and made their Mom really on edge and stressed. She was pregnant again as well which Harry knew would make things harder. Their Dad seemed to assume that taking Peter to hospital was more than enough and would return to coldly ignoring his middle son pretty much the second he walked back in through the door with him. Luckily, Mary Osborne was the world’s greatest Mom and between her, Harry and Harley they had managed to come up with a routine that would make Peter’s life as awesome as it could be for the recovery days.</p><p>As he stood in his bathroom, Harry pulled up his pajama shirt and saw that the spot where Beck had kicked him in the ribs yesterday had left a massive bruise. No one knew about that, not even Harry’s dad. Harry hated Beck and Beck hated Harry, and Harry supposed he should really get Beck fired or something but most of the time, Beck just ignored the boys and was often the one who was responsible for Norman having a never ending stream of meeting which meant he wasn’t at the house very much. If nothing else, Harry had learned to appreciate Beck’s presence in their lives from that alone.</p><p>Though that wasn’t saying much, all the boys hated Quentin Beck. Even Peter, who would never say anything bad about anyone, never stopped Harley and Harry when they would begin to make fun of Beck when he wasn’t around. He would never join in because that simply wasn’t Peter’s nature but he had been caught hiding the odd giggle when he didn’t think his brothers were paying close attention, but Harry always caught him. He was always watching Peter.</p><p>It hurt to move but Harry was pretty sure Beck had just left him with bruising, his ribs didn’t seem like they were broken or fractured. Wincing as he pulled a T-shirt over his head, Harry could practically feel Harley’s nervous anticipation as the youngster waited outside his big brother’s bedroom. Harley had been reluctant to enter Harry’s bedroom without knocking unless in an emergency since an embarrassing incident at the start of the summer where a private moment had turned into humiliation for Harry and possible scarring for life for Harley.</p><p>“I can smell eggs” Harley noted as the two boys descended the staircase and made their way into the kitchen/dining room where they found their mother chatting with Ben and May Parker.</p><p>Mary looked up and sighed as she saw two of her boys enter the room hand in hand, Harley’s having found it’s way to Harry’s halfway down the stairs and not showing any signs of letting go. Harry was sure that he wasn’t the only one who must have noticed how much more anxious the once extroverted Harley had become over the course of the summer.</p><p>His mother looked sad as Harry approached her, though for once he knew for sure he wasn’t the cause of her sadness, though he kind of wished he was. About two years ago, Harry had overheard his mother telling May that what really killed her about Peter’s fits was always the next morning when she would see Harry and Harley wonder in looking lost and concern. Just two of them. Not three. Mary had three boys, her three little princes, and seeing two without the other looking all glossy eyed and concerned just broke her heart into little pieces. It was after hearing that that Harry had decided he would no longer cry in front of her whenever Peter had been ill, he would save it all for later. He had to be strong for her as well as her brothers, he couldn’t afford to hurt them.</p><p>Ben would always tell him ‘you don’t have to be brave, Harry’ but Harry knew that crying was for wimps and that Ben was probably just taking pity on him. It was alright when Harley cried, because he was still just a little kid and was scared of what was going on because he didn’t understand it. It was alright if Peter cried, because he was the one it was all happening too. Harry wasn’t either of those things. He was the oldest and he had to be strong for his brothers, so he cried his tears when no one else was around. He didn’t understand why Ben and May always seemed so concerned about him. He was doing what everyone needed him to.</p><p>“Morning mama” he said, opening himself up for a hug by shying away at the last second, luckily Harley was still in dire need so Mary got her cuddle. Harry stepped away and shyly rubbed his arm, hoping he could somehow convey that Mary hadn’t done anything wrong, it was just him being a freak.</p><p>“Boys, I’m glad you’re up” Mary said, kissing Harley on the top of the head as she leaned down to hug him. Ben put a comforting hand on Harry’s shoulder whilst May hooked her arm around his. Harry breathed a little sigh of relief. They always helped him feel a little more at ease when hugging had become out of the question. “How’re you both?”</p><p>“I’m worried about Petey” Harley moaned in his mother’s arms, “Is he OK?”</p><p>“He is absolutely fine, sweetheart” Mary said reassuringly, “Dad’s been in touch and he says it wasn’t even a bad one. They’re on their way back with Peter right now, he’ll be his usual self soon but we still need to look after him for the next few days, OK?”</p><p>“Is he really OK?” Harry asked seriously, “Cos last time you said that and then Harley had to find him passed out in the bathroom.”</p><p>“It won’t be like that this time, I promise” Mary replied, looking a little annoyed at Harry for bringing up the event that had nearly sprung Harley into childhood therapy but for Norman stopping it at the last second, as Harley whimpered in Mary’s arms and went all wide-eyed. “We’re going to be keeping a very close eye on Peter and…well, I had hoped to ask you this in private, but-“</p><p>“You want me to be there when he goes to the bathroom” Harry finished for her with a sigh. Harley pulled a face that made May smirk and hide her face on Harry’s shoulder.</p><p>“Not in the room with him, just around” Mary replied, “D’you mind?”</p><p>“Can’t Ben do it?” Harley asked.</p><p>“From tomorrow, sure” Ben replied, “But me and May are going to vamoose for the rest of the day to give you all some quality time together.”</p><p>“Aww, you don’t have to” Harley moaned, “You should stay and watch movies on the sofa all day with us and Petey.”</p><p>“There will be plenty of time for that, honey” Mary assured her youngest, “But I’ve asked Ben and May if they can take themselves off for the day so it’s just me and my three princes. Is that OK?”</p><p>“Dad not staying then?” Harry asked sharply, feeling a little bit like an asshole for his tone of voice but someone needed to ask the question and establish where Norman would be.</p><p>“No, he has business with Quentin in the city” Mary sighed, “Can’t be avoided, this is probably going to be the last day he has here this year. He’s had people packing up his stuff all morning and he’ll be going back to the Manhattan house tonight. Summer’s over for your father, but we have a few more weeks…”</p><p>“And they’re going to be the most fun ever” May interjected with a smile, squeezing Harry’s shoulder, “Me and Ben have got some totally awesome days out planned for you boys, once Peter’s feeling up to it. We are going to have so much fun!”</p><p>Mary smiled as Harley cheered and barreled himself over to Ben who swopped him up and gave him a tight hug. Harley couldn’t help but smile along. A few more weeks at the summer house with his Mom, his brothers and Ben and May sounded like an absolute dream come true.</p><p>“So, Dad’s gonna go pretty much as soon as he’s dropped Peter back off here?” Harry asked.</p><p>“More or less” Mary shrugged, “He’ll make sure Peter’s settled, of course, and have a last chat with your Auntie Christine before she goes back to New York tonight as well. Yesterday is more or less totally cleared away.”</p><p>“OK” Harry said with a nod, feeling a lot more at ease now he knew what was happening and when, “And are Auntie May and Uncle Ben away for the night, too?”</p><p>“Just tonight, honey” May said with a smile, “We need some time just for us after running around after you rugrats all summer. Not that we don’t love every second of it.”</p><p>“We’re gonna leave once we’ve seen Peter” Ben went on, “I don’t think either of us would be able to enjoy ourselves if we didn’t know he was OK.”</p><p>“True that” said May as she swooped down and planted a kiss on Harry’s head and looked across at a still smiling Mary, “Damn it woman, why did you let your kids get under my skin like this? You boys know I was a hardened anarchist punk before I met your mother right?!”</p><p>“We can’t help that we’re cute” Harley said through a giggle as he stuck his tongue out and seemed so much more like the normal version of himself as Ben gasped and pretended to drop him.</p><p>“Right, that’s it” Mary smirked, “Ben, I want him ticked until he can’t breathe on the sofa.”</p><p>“Yes mam!” Ben replied as he gently dropped a now hysterical Harley on the sofa and started to tickle the life out of him.</p><p>“And what are we going to do with this one?” May asked, her hands still draped around Harry’s neck.</p><p>“Oh, I dunno, he’s too pretty to mess with” Mary said mockingly as she pinched Harry’s cheeks. He smiled but batted her hand away. “At least that’s what Jessica Mauby seems to think.”</p><p>Harry rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Yes, I heard that….” May began before breaking into an exaggerated whisper, “I heard that Harry Osborne was caught kissing Jessica Mauby behind the Ferris Wheel yesterday by that extremely sexy security guard with the irresistible bubble butt.”</p><p>“I hate you both” Harry said bluntly as both women laughed and Harry received yet another kiss to the temple from May, “Ben, I can’t believe you narked on me, man!”</p><p>“Sorry!” Ben called back from the sofa, “It was too cute for me not to say anything. I think you might need to work on your game though, kid, pretty sure you’re not meant to make the girls lip bleed. But maybe I’m behind the times.”</p><p>Harley, taking advantage of Ben’s momentary distraction, snuck up on the bigger man and hit him around the head with a pillow causing Ben to fall off the sofa. Harley cheered as he jumped up and down, declaring himself the victor.</p><p>“Now that is absolutely unacceptable” May said as she took her arms from around Harry and shot Mary a look of pure mischief, “Are you going to control your hellion child, Holland, or am I going to have to avenge my husband myself?”</p><p>“He’s beyond any help I can give you” Mary said with a smile as Harry got up and stood next to her, “I think you’re going to have wade in their yourself, Parker.”</p><p>“Very well” May sighed before moving towards Harley who seemed to be anticipating her arrival with giddy anticipation, practically vibrating with giggles as May approached him and launched into another round of tickles. Harry smiled and turned to his Mom.</p><p>“Are you good, honey?” Mary asked softly, stroking his hair.</p><p>“Yeah, just worried about Peter” Harry replied, “I’m not a kid anymore, I’m not like Harley, I’m not just going to believe everything’s OK just because you told me….how bad was it this time?”</p><p>“It wasn’t great” Mary admitted, “It seems like Peter may have got a slight head injury during the fit itself, and he was very distressed according to Richard. It’s just not something I want you and Harley to have to worry about.”</p><p>“You kinda can’t stop me” Harry mumbled, “He’s my brother and stuff….I love him, y’know. Wanna protect him and all that stuff.”</p><p>“I know” Mary said with a sad smile as she rubbed his back, “C’mon, you can help me get breakfast ready for when he gets back. And then we have a whole three weeks just me, you and your brothers. Plus Ben and May, the god damn leaches.”</p><p>Harry chuckled and allowed himself to hug his Mom. It hurt like hell. His ribs were killing him but he allowed her to squeeze him a little tighter and bared the pain, he could tell she needed a hug as well.</p><p>“Best hugger in the family” Mary said softly, making Harry want to die inside a little, “I forget now you’re all grown up and don’t want hugs all the time anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>
  <em>One Week Later, Monday 18<sup>th</sup> August 2008, Osborne Manner, Long Island.</em>
</p><p>Peter had been practically catatonic when he came back from hospital a week before. He’d been carried in by Quentin Beck and pretty much just dumped on the sofa, Harry didn’t think he’d ever seen his mother as angry as he had done when she’d chewed out Beck for treating her ill son so callously. Norman had promised her that Beck would be reprimanded but the two had left for New York pretty much as soon as they’d gathered their things together without so much as a goodbye to Harry or Harley. Christine Everhart also made a premature departure, saying she had everything she needed for her report, though it was clear she was keen to get away from the family drama.</p><p>It was better, as Harry always knew it would have been, once it had just been Mary, Harry and his brothers on their own. Peter struggled a lot during that week, more than usual. He awoke from nightmares with screams that caused the dogs to bark and Harley to cry, at one point he’d become so dissociated from his surroundings that he’d begun to hit out and had to be restrained by Ben and had then spent the next few days apologizing every time he opened his mouth.</p><p>“I’m gonna make Peter feel better” Harley had said with determination over dinner the night before when Peter had gone to bed hours before their curfew, as was becoming the norm.</p><p>“How are you going to do that honey?” May asked kindly, “Because I definitely believe your little teddy bear face will manage it, I just want to get inside that brilliant little head of yours.”</p><p>“We’re gonna go camping!” Harley announced, “Peter loves camping. When we went last year with Uncle Ben and Uncle Richard, he was the best at it! He loved it and it made him super happy so I think we should go camping again”</p><p>“That’s a nice thought, honey” Mary said with caution, wanting to make sure that she didn’t accidentally upset her youngest son by rejecting his idea, “Maybe when Peter’s feeling a little bit better we can think about a camping trip.”</p><p>“No, not a trip Mom!” Harley replied empathically, “We don’t gotta go anywhere! The garden is big enough for us to do tents and a camp fire we can have smores on! And if we get scared, we can just come back inside where its safe.”</p><p>“Don’t you think Peter might be a bit more comfortable in his own bed though, sweetie?” May asked</p><p>Harley looked a little defeated and let out a sad little sigh that made Harry’s heart pang. He was just trying to do something nice for Peter.</p><p>“I think it’s a good idea, Harley” Harry told his little brother with a kind smile, “And I think Peter will really want to do it as well, it’s worth a shot.”</p><p>“Mom?” Harley asked keenly.</p><p>“You’d be with them the entire time?” Mary asked Ben. It wasn’t often that she spoke to Ben or May like she was actually their boss, even though she very much was.</p><p>“I won’t let him leave my sight for a second” Ben promised with his hand over his heart, “And I’m sure that Harry will make sure he’s alright as well, won’t you big fella?”</p><p>“Course” Harry beamed, “Like Harley says Mom, we’ll only be in the garden. If anything happens we can just come back inside.”</p><p>“OK” Mary sighed, “You’ve convinced me. We’ll ask Peter tomorrow.”</p><p>“Yay!” Harley sang.</p><p>They did ask Peter the next morning and Harry felt immediately guilty. He said yes almost instantly but Harry knew his little brother well enough to know that he had only agreed because he wanted to make Harley – who had been shaking with excitement when asking – happy. Harry had wanted to suggest that they hold it off there and then and felt like he was a failure once again as he watched Peter wince and struggle through the day as they got things together. Ben had convinced May and Mary to take themselves off for the day for spa treatments and leave the boys in his capable hands.</p><p>He had not expected Steven Westcott to turn up at the end of the day, totally out of the blue. Harry generally really liked his Uncle Skip, who was his Dad’s best friend from college. Skip always bought them awesome Christmas and birthday presents and always had funny stories to tell. As with everyone else in their lives, it was clear that he liked Peter the most, but that was probably just because Peter was his god son. Indeed, Harry’s brother seemed positively euphoric when Skip suddenly appeared behind them that Monday evening as the sun began to set.</p><p>There had been a time when Harry thought he and Skip were the closest, they always used to share funny stories together and Skip used to refer to Harry as his ‘little buddy’, a nickname he had since given to Peter. It didn’t bother Harry too much, though, Peter was way nicer than he was and he totally understood that Skip would want to spend more time with Peter than him. Anyone would.</p><p>“UNCLE SKIP!” he said as he ran towards his god father, “What are you doing here?!”</p><p>“Well, Mary and I are chatting and she mentioned you scamps are having a camp out without me?” Skip replied with a laugh as he hugged Peter, “And I decided that we couldn’t have that, so I pitched up here to join in. I hope you don’t mind.”</p><p>“Course not” Peter said enthusiastically, “You can help me put up my tent!”</p><p>“Sure, buddy” Skip replied, patting Peter on the back, “Ben, I hope you don’t mind me crashing your party man, but you know I can’t resist a smore.”</p><p>“No worries at all” Ben replied with a smile, “It’ll be nice to have some adult company once the three little terrors have fallen asleep.”</p><p>“It’s sweet that you think Harley’s going to sleep tonight” Harry smirked, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so excited in my life, and that’s saying a lot.”</p><p>“He’ll be fine” Ben said as he stretched, “If he doesn’t have sugar after seven and then I make him a hot chocolate about an hour before bed, that always makes him super drowsy. And it’s sweet that you think you can bring up Harley’s struggle to fall asleep in a vain attempt to kid me you and Pete aren’t gonna stay up until three in the morning telling scary stories.”</p><p>“Where is Harley?” Skip asked.</p><p>“He’s gathering fire wood” Ben replied with a sigh, “We’re all very nervous about it, but the boy insisted, this was twenty minutes ago.”</p><p>“At what point do we go and find him?” Skip smirked.</p><p>“Oh no, Uncle Skip” Peter replied with a flawless smile, “You don’t go and find Harley, he comes and finds you. Probably with Rambo marks on his cheeks and some adopted wildlife.”</p><p>“Birds help him get ready in the morning” Harry said sardonically, smiling to himself as both adults in his vicinity fell about into laughter. Skip patted him on his back as he laughed.</p><p>“Man, you definitely got your mother’s sense of humor, kid” he wheezed, “See, this is why I love coming here. How can you not smile around these boys?”</p><p>“When you’re clearing up their puke” Ben said darkly.</p><p>“Oh touché Mr. New Year’s 2006” Harry shot back. Ben smirked as Harley made his way back over, presenting pretty much exactly how Peter had predicted. He had two lines of dirt smudged across his chipmunk cheeks, his hair was all tussled and full of leaves and he had a squirrel resting on his shoulder. He also had no fire wood.</p><p>“Things take a turn, Harls?” Harry couldn’t help but ask.</p><p>“I fell in a hole!” Harley said enthusiastically, “It wasn’t a very big one, and I met Fred. Do you think Mom and Dad will let me keep him?”</p><p>“No” all four of his companions replied at once.</p><p>“Rude” Harley grumbled, “And I thought I saw a wolf but it just turned out to be that gross old dog that the security guard with the red moustache-oh, hi, Uncle Skip when did you get here?”</p><p>“About five minutes ago” Skip said, giving Harley a quick side hug, “Kid, I think you maybe need to go and have a shower before you commit to this sort-of camping experience.”</p><p>“Why would I shower?” Harley asked, “I’m experiencing the great outdoors!”</p><p>“Here, now, let me smell you” Ben said strictly, pulling Harley over gently by the sneeze and wrapping his arms around the boy before sniffing his hair and pulling a face, “Yeah, ain’t no sharing a tent with you this way, kiddo. Shower time. And I’ll come with you to shampoo your hair properly because there are things moving in there.”</p><p>“Cool” Harley said with a smile on his face and nodded, “Can I have a piggy back up there Uncle Ben….just so you know, I don’t….get mud on the floor?”</p><p>Ben sighed, knowing he’d been played by the kid.</p><p>“Fine” he said, “Harry, can you go and check on the things we’ve got in the oven in case we can’t light a fire please?”</p><p>“OK” Harry replied, shooting Peter and Skip a smile, feeling perfectly content allowing god father and godson to catch up on their own for a few minutes. Harry knew that Skip would probably have heard all about Peter’s latest fit and would want to question him about it, so he deliberately took a little longer the necessary to check on the food so they had some time.</p><p>When he went back outside, Peter was looking a lot brighter than he had been before, and Skip looked pleased with himself. Harry felt content as he sat down beside Peter, who rested his head on the shoulder, and Skip got the fire roaring by the time Ben and Harley came back from the latter’s shower. Ben wrapped the youngest Osborne in a jacket and held him on his knee as the e-numbers were kicking in and Harley’s eyes were starting to do that thing where they darted between every little thing he could see.</p><p>By the time he fell asleep next to Peter at eleven, Harry had a frown on his face, knowing the next week and a half before the reality of New York City would fly by.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>
  <em>One Month Later, Friday 26<sup>th</sup> September 2008, Midtown Junior High, Queens, New York.</em>
</p><p>Harry was enjoying being back at school for the most part. He was one of the oldest kids in school now and his Dad had managed to arrange for him to start having some taster sessions at Midtown High to ready him for transitioning up their next year. He’d apparently had a growth spurt over the summer if the amount of teachers who’d expressed surprise over his height was anything to go by and he suddenly seemed to be irresistible to the girls in his grade and the others. Harry Osborne had quickly found out he wasn’t a one-woman man, he currently had three girlfriends and several other admirers. Socially and educationally, Harry was thriving.</p><p>Back home was something of a different story. Mary was now into her fifth month of pregnancy and it was starting to really wear her down and tire her out. May had told Harry that she’d been the same during all of her previous pregnancies and that it was nothing to worry about, but Harry was the only one of the brothers who knew about Mary’s miscarriage and was starting to get very worried about her. It didn’t help that Mary was currently away on a weeks-long sorority reunion with May, leaving the boys in the cold and uncaring hands of their father. Harley had spent every night of the last week either in Peter’s bed or Harry’s.</p><p>It hadn’t been too bad. Harry had made sure to keep himself to himself, kept his noise down, tidied up after himself and behaved at school. Being the oldest brother meant that the two younger ones had followed this example, though Peter was never much trouble. Harry had forgotten because they’d been so omnipresent over the summer that he and his brothers didn’t actually see all that much of Ben and May when they were in New York. Well, Harley did as he was home educated by May but she arrived just before Peter and Harry left for school and went home about an hour after they returned.</p><p>They saw even less of Ben. His official job role was head of security and during times where the Osborne’s were in New York, he operated out of his offices in Oscorp tower. He was mainly meant to be where Norman was and only accompanied the Osborne’s to their summer home due to the fact that May would have refused to work summers without her husband being there so they could actually spend some time together. Harry hated not seeing them all that much but Ben had said he would try to come over for dinner at least once a week, something he had so far failed to do.</p><p>The boys were pretty much left to fend for themselves throughout the week. Harry felt especially bad leaving Harley in the penthouse all day without May there and only his father and Beck to watch him. He got the impression Harley was getting very little school work done, though his youngest brother didn’t seem to be particularly bothered about it himself.</p><p>They’d made it to Friday afternoon without any incidents that could have caused any issues at home, which was why Harry immediately knew something was wrong as he walked down the school hallway and found Peter’s best friend Ned Leeds sitting nervously outside of the principal’s office clutching Peter’s backpack to his chest as his foot tapped on the floor. Ned was a nervous kid at the best of times but Harry had never seen him look quite as anxious as he did now.</p><p>“Hey Leeds, what’s up buddy?” Harry asked as he took a seat next to me.</p><p>“Harry! You told me never to speak to you in public unless it was absolutely necessary” Ned yelped.</p><p>“Yeah, sorry about that” Harry replied, cringing a little, “But clearly my little brother’s been mugged or beaten up again or-“</p><p>“Actually, he started a fight with Flash Thompson” Ned interjected, “I don’t really know why but Peter asked me to hold his backpack and make sure no one took it. He’s being very weird.”</p><p>“OK” Harry said slowly, trying to process that idea of Peter getting himself in a fight let alone being the one to start one. “Am I allowed to hold his backpack? Considering I’m his big brother and everything.”</p><p>“I guess” Ned replied, looking unhappy about it but handing over Peter’s backpack regardless. Harry smiled, he knew Ned was intimidated by him, but he appreciated that Ned was so dedicated and protective of his little brother. Peter deserved a friend like him, Harry certainly didn’t have any that good, even if he was supposedly very popular at school. He and Ned had exactly one thing in common and that was that Peter was their best friend.</p><p>“Thanks” Harry sighed as he took the bag from Ned, “Why don’t you get back to class? I can wait for Peter here, my Dad’s probably going to come over and pick him up in a minute anyway. You don’t wanna be around for the screaming.”</p><p>“Yeah, your Dad’s pretty intense” Ned smirked before taking a deep breath, “Peter’s….I’m worried about him, Harry. Flash is a dick and he always tries to mess with Peter but he didn’t do anything today. He just picked up Peter’s bag by accident instead of his own and Peter just lost it and jumped on him. I don’t know what he would have done if the teachers hadn’t pulled them away from each other.”</p><p>“That’s not….that’s not my brother” Harry replied in confusion.</p><p>“I know right!” Ned shot back, “Harry, I know he’s your brother but he’s my best friend and I really care about him. He’s literally the only person in this place who’s ever been nice to me and I don’t want to see anything bad happen to him. Just make sure he’s OK, OK?”</p><p>“I will Ned, I promise” Harry replied with a sigh, meaning every word of it. Once Ned was gone, Harry groaned and ran his hands over his face. His mind was racing a million miles an hour over what could have spurred Peter to such an extreme reaction over his backpack, something he’d never really been that bothered about. It was a running joke amongst the brothers that Peter somehow seemed to lose every new backpack he’d been given due to nothing more than carelessness.</p><p>Just as Harry was starting to panic over where Peter was, the doors to the school reception slammed open and Harry stood up, anticipating greeting his surely furious father. Instead, Harry was greeted by the uncaring face of Quentin Beck who gave him a withering look before knocking on the principle’s door and saying he was there to pick up Peter Parker. Harry stood up as Peter, Beck and the principal all filed out and cringed as Peter was informed he would be suspended for a week for starting a fight unprovoked.</p><p>“Could neither of the boys parents have made it?” the principal asked, “I know you’re authorized to pick up, Mr. Beck, but I really would have felt more comfortable speaking to one of Peter’s guardians.”</p><p>“They’re both unfortunately unavailable” Beck replied in his smarmy but vaguely charming way, “But don’t worry, I will get Peter home and make sure both of his parents are made aware of his actions and the fact he will be at home for the next week.”</p><p>The principle nodded before shrugging at Harry and heading back inside his office. Peter broke away from Beck and pretty much ran over to Harry, hurriedly grabbing his bag as he did so.</p><p>“Right, Bug and Aryan, let’s get going” Beck said as he went to the receptionists desk and picked up the register to sign them both out.</p><p>“Oh, nicknames, you must be very close” the receptionist chuckled.</p><p>“Yeah, best of friends” Beck replied without looking up from the clipboard, “Now, Mr. Osborne will want Peter’s work for the next week to be mailed home, I trust I can leave that in your presumably capable hands.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s not really-“</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, just make it happen” Beck replied dismissively, “Are you two coming or not? As much as I don’t want to be in a car with your for the next fifteen minutes, my instructions were to pick you both up and bring you back to the penthouse.”</p><p>Sighing, the boys filed out of the school after Beck, Harry trying to catch Peter’s eye but his younger brother seemed determined to avoid it. The ride back to the penthouse was painfully awkward and silent. Beck drove extra slowly as Norman had entrusted him with the Rolls Royce and Peter just stared out of the window, clutching his backpack, seemingly determined not to say a word to anyone. Harry knew he was on the precipice of a panic attack by the time they walked in the front door.</p><p>Beck sighed and immediately handed Norman the letter the principal had given him which detailed Peter’s suspension for the next week. Harley, who had been in the middle of some form of lesson with his Dad, silently moved away from the table and slinked off into his room without a word. Harry felt torn. He was aware the last hour sitting with a likely angry and stewing Norman can’t have been very fun but he also refused to leave Peter on his own to the face the music. At the very least, Harley was out of the line of fire for now.</p><p>“Beck, could you excuse us for the next few minutes?” Norman asked his assistant. Beck looked a little puzzled but nodded and left the room.</p><p>“Creep” Harry said under his breath. Peter didn’t react.</p><p>“Take a seat, Peter” Norman sighed. Peter blushed and immediately did so, Harry followed and made eye-contact with his father for a second. He kept a steely glance on his Dad, determined that he wasn’t going to be leaving Peter’s side and to his surprise, Norman appeared to accept this.</p><p>“I’m sorry” Peter said immediately, “I’m really sorry, I lost control of my temper and I don’t know what happened, I just lost-“</p><p>“Calm down” Norman said calmly, holding a hand up and immediately silencing his middle son, “Peter, I understand the situation, at least I think I do. I presume you attacked this boy because you assumed he was trying to steal a personal belonging of yours?”</p><p>“Yes, sir” Peter squeaked, clutching his backpack tighter.</p><p>“Whilst I don’t approve of your method and I find your punishment appropriate, I have no intention of punishing you any further” Norman replied, “You have received your punishment and that is good enough for me. Please go to your room and come back out for dinner when I call you.”</p><p>Peter nodded.</p><p>“Thank you, sir” he said before sheepishly getting up and running out of the room, leaving Harry somewhat agog. If he’d got into an unprovoked fight at school, he definitely wouldn’t have gotten away with such light treatment from his father.</p><p>“You look confused, Harold” Norman noted.</p><p>“I just….I’m worried about Peter, I guess” Harry replied shakily, “You have to admit this is kind of out of character for him.”</p><p>“Yes, I suppose it is” Norman replied thoughtfully, “Peter is certainly the most mellow of you boys. I have to admit I am surprised by his behaviour. Perhaps you could talk to him, it is my understanding that the two of you share things.”</p><p>Harry nodded at his father; it had been so long since they’d had a one to one conversation that he’d honestly forgotten how robotic his dad was. He always got like this when he was processing new information and mulling over what to do. Peter wasn’t out of the woods yet.</p><p>“I DIDN’T STEAL IT” Harley’s voice rang out, approaching the room and causing both Harry and Norman to leap to their feet.</p><p>Beck appeared with three candy bars in his hands and passed them to Norman as Harley ran in, already in tears, looking horrified. Harry stood in front of his little brother instinctively.</p><p>“What’s all this, Pudge?” Norman asked his youngest son. Harry hated him in that moment. Pudge was such a cruel nickname to give a 9-year old boy, who had a little bit of puppy fat at most. Harley shrunk in on himself a little bit upon hearing the name.</p><p>“Nothing” he murmured.</p><p>“Little pig’s shouldn’t lie” Norman snarled back, bending down and getting down in Harley’s face, “Now, where did we get the candy Pudge?”</p><p>“Don’t call him that” Harry said warningly</p><p>“I’m talking to Pudge, not you” Norman bit back, shoving Harry out of the way, “Now, are we so fat and greedy that we steal from the fridge or have we been shop lifting?”</p><p>He poked Harley in the chest a few times and Harry went to step forwards again but Beck soon moved in his way and blocked him.</p><p>“Stole it” Harley admitted tearfully</p><p>“Why?” Norman asked.</p><p>“Stop” Harry warned once again.</p><p>“Why did you steal the candy, Harley?” Norman asked once again, completely unmoved by his nine-year-old son openly crying in front of him, “Gonna squeal little Piggy or am I going have to beat it out of you?”</p><p>Anger rose in Harry and he managed to push past Beck and place himself in front of Harley once again.</p><p>“You’re not gonna beat anything out of him” Harry said angrily, Harley’s hand latched on to his and Harry squeezed it back, “I won’t let you.”</p><p>“This doesn’t concern you, Harold” Norman said coldly, “For once you’ve actually managed to be the one brat who hasn’t caused me any problems today, keep it that way.”</p><p>“Not when you are threatening my brother” Harry replied, just as coldly, “He’s a kid, he doesn’t deserve to be treated this way.”</p><p>The strike came after. Norman’s hand collided with Harry’s face hard and he stumbled to the wall, dazed by the force that Norman had struck him with. He was only vaguely aware of what happened next as his head pounded around him.</p><p>From what he could tell, Harley screamed and charged at Norman and seemed intent on punching him in the knees, but Norman struck him just as hard as he had done Harry and Harley fell to the ground, his cheek bleeding, and ran off to his room.</p><p>Harry followed as Norman took a deep breath and immediately resumed his business day.</p><p>*</p><p>“He hit me” Harley cried as he sat on Harry’s bed. Harry held his younger brother, his head tucking into his neck and ran a hand down the nine-year old’s back in what he hoped was a soothing manner. Harley was hysterically crying in his arms; Norman’s wedding ring had caught him on the cheek and caused it to bleed. Harry could feel intense pain at the back of his head but ignored it. Harley was more important.</p><p>“You’re OK, you’re OK, I’m here, I’m here” Harry repeated over and over.</p><p>“I want Mom!” Harley cried, “Or Ben or May or Peter. I-I’m sorry he h-hit y-you because of m-me, are you OK?”</p><p>“I’m fine” Harry replied, “I’m fine, and so are you. You’re safe with me, I won’t let him touch you again, I promise. This is the first and last time he will ever do that to you.”</p><p>“Want Peter” Harley carried on crying, clutching at Harry’s sweatpants, “Where’s Peter?”</p><p>As if on cue, Peter gently opened Harry’s bedroom door and looked heartbroken as the sight of his disheveled brothers came into view.</p><p>“Hey” he said quietly as he made his way over to Harley, who immediately detached from Harry and flung himself into Peter’s arms. Harry felt slightly dejected but he guessed he couldn’t blame his youngest brother; Peter was who everyone seemed to want to turn to when they were upset.</p><p>“What happened?” Peter asked.</p><p>“Dad hit him” Harry sighed, “Beck found candy in his room, they called him Pudge again, I stuck up for him, Dad hit me for defending them and then Harls tried to play hero, didn’t ya buddy?”</p><p>“Oh Harley” Peter sighed as he held a still crying Harley in his arms, “That was really brave of you but you shouldn’t have had to do that. I’m sorry guys, I feel like this one’s on me.”</p><p>“Why?” Harry asked, “You weren’t even there.”</p><p>“Exactly” Peter replied, “But I’m the one who got him in a bad mood in the first place by getting into a fight at school. I’m really sorry.”</p><p>“Peter, it’s not your fault” Harry assured him, “But whilst we’re on the subject, why exactly did you get into a fight at school?”</p><p>“Oh, it was nothing” Peter said quietly.</p><p>“You don’t get into fights, Peter” Harry replied bluntly, “Something bad must have happened if you attacked someone.”</p><p>Peter visibly closed off again, he ignored Harry’s question and carried on comforting Harley who was still crying and hadn’t been paying attention to their conversation. Harry sighed. He guessed making sure that Harley was alright took greater precedent.</p><p>“Hey, why don’t I go and get a band aid for you cheek?” Peter said softly, “And then what’s say we all lock in here and have another movie night. We’ve got the third Harry Potter to watch, and Ned says that that’s the best one.”</p><p>“OK” Harley whimpered as Peter let go of him, shot them both a smile and charged out of Harry’s bedroom to get him a first aid kit. He returned after a few minutes looking a little frantic and disturbed. Concern once again immediately shot through Harry’s body as Peter tried to gather himself and move slowly so not to make Harley even more hysterical.</p><p>Carefully, Peter opened the first aid kit and dabbed Harley’s cheek before giving him a very sly kiss on the cheek, which made the younger boy smile for the first time. Harry smiled and rested his head on Harley’s shoulder and was pleased when his little brother leaned into the touch.</p><p>“You’re gonna look so badass with the band aid” Peter joked, “All the girls that you never see are gonna think you’re totally cool.”</p><p>“He’s gonna be the stud of home school” Harry smirked. Harley blushed a little and seemed to perk up a bit once the band aid was applied and rather shamelessly snuggled in between his two older brothers, falling asleep within twenty minutes of the film starting.</p><p>“I’m sorry” Peter whispered over his sleeping body, “I really do feel like this one’s on me. I was…I don’t get why he doesn’t-do that to me.”</p><p>“Probably some sick game” Harley sighed, “What did you hear when you went back outside? What did he say to you?”</p><p>“Nothing directly” Peter replied, “I just heard him and Beck talking. Auntie Christine’s report comes out in two weeks and then they can announce that Dad’s running for New York senator.”</p><p>“He’s what?” Harley asked, the first he’d heard of this.</p><p>“Yeah, he’s announcing it in like three weeks” Peter sighed, “Uncle Skip told me-“</p><p>“Uncle Skip?” Harry repeated, “We haven’t seen him since he came over for the camping trip at the end of Summer, have you know that long?”</p><p>“Err, yeah” Peter replied slowly, “Yeah, he told me then.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you say before now?” Harry asked, “We never keep things from one another, Peter. First your fight and now this. Don’t you think I deserved to know my Dad might be….mayor, or whatever, I don’t know what senators do..”</p><p>“I’m sorry” Peter whined, “I don’t think Uncle Skip meant to tell me, so he like told me not to say anything and I didn’t wanna get him in trouble with Dad, so…”</p><p>“So, Christine was only hanging out with us so she could write a report to make Dad look good?” Harry asked.</p><p>Peter nodded.</p><p>“Yeah, from what he was saying to Beck, sounds like he paid the paper to make him look good” Peter said bitterly, “Apparently he wants to make out he’s the world’s best Dad, or whatever…”</p><p>“After he’s just hit two of his sons” Harry scoffed. Harley stirred and moaned a little in between them and Peter soothed him by running his hands through his hair in the same way Ben, May or Mary would have done if they’d been there.</p><p>“I wish-“</p><p>“Peter, please don’t say you wish he’d hit you too” Harry begged, tears finally pooling in his eyes because he knew exactly what Peter was about to say, “Please don’t ever think that. I’m literally begging you. I don’t think I can take you wishing that on yourself, you already go through so much.”</p><p>“Maybe that’s why” Peter replied sadly, “Maybe because of my stupid fits, I mean – there has to be some reason, doesn’t there? I’m no better than-“</p><p>Peter paused and began picking at his own fingers, something he always did when he was nervous and didn’t know what to say. Harry gently reached over and stopped him from doing it. Peter’s lip wobbled as Harry gently placed his hands-on Harley’s chest and lay down, Peter copied the motion and the two boys just looked at one another as they waited for sleep to claim them.</p><p>It was only 7 and they hadn’t had any dinner, but Harry was determined that neither of his brothers would be leaving his room until their mother returned the following afternoon. They wouldn’t tell her about their Dad hitting them, they’d been dealing with this for years and had all agreed long ago that it would only make their Mom unhappy if she knew the truth. And none of them wanted that. Harry knew how ruthless and cruel his father was and he didn’t trust that Norman wouldn’t hurt Mary to get at them if they said anything. He could fire Ben and May, isolate the boys from everyone they loved and make things ten times worse for them than they already were.</p><p>Plus, Harry was scared. Very scared. He didn’t want things to change. Even if he told his Mom what his Dad did to him and his brothers when she wasn’t around, and Mary actually believed him, there was very little chance they’d be able to live the same kind of happy life if she took them and left. All the money belonged to Norman. They wouldn’t even have a house and Harry knew for sure that their Dad would never help them out if he felt they’d chosen their Mother over him.</p><p>He was stuck.</p><p>They were all stuck.</p><p>Harry looked at Harley’s face as the boy slept. Normally, Harley looked peaceful and cute as a button when he slept, but his face was contorted in pain tonight. It made Harry feel sick to his stomach. It was dark out by the time that Peter fell asleep but Harry knew that between his anxiety over his brother’s getting hurt and the adrenaline still pumping through his body, sleep would not be an option for him.</p><p>Mind racing at a million miles an hour, Harry formed an idea in his mind.</p><p>A way out.</p><p>Maybe if he could talk to Christine Everhart and tell her everything that Norman did to them in private, she wouldn’t publish her article that probably made him seem like the best man alive.</p><p>Then Mary would ask questions.</p><p>Then Harry would be able to tell her about what Norman did to her and have actual proof from a journalist to back him up. Harry knew that journalists were important and people trusted them.</p><p>Maybe if he did this, he could stop Norman from becoming a senator when he didn’t deserve to be one because he was a bad person.</p><p>Maybe if he did this, he could stop his brother’s from being hurt again.</p><p>Maybe if he did this, he could finally sleep at night.</p><p>Maybe if he did this, Harry would be able to relax and lead a life that didn’t descend into anxiety ridden nightmares every time he failed to meet some ridiculous standards.</p><p>Maybe he could finally learn to start trusting people again. Maybe he wouldn’t be so scared of touch that he could hug people again and make them feel happy. Maybe, just maybe.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>
  <em>3 Weeks Later, Saturday October 18<sup>th</sup>, 2008, Osborne Penthouse, Manhattan, NY.</em>
</p><p>Harry had done it. He’d raced to Christine Everhart’s workplace as soon as he could the day after he and Harley had been hit by their dad. He’d practically fallen to his knees in her office and begged her to listen to what he had to say about what Norman Osborne was really like. Christine had listened, she’d even seemed moved by some of what Harry had had to say, and she said that she would do her best to make sure as much as what he said came out in her article.</p><p>The article that was due out today.</p><p>Harry sat with Peter and Harley on the sofa’s as Norman, Mary and Beck all sat at the dining room table in the next room, chatting about the logistics of Norman’s announcement of his intention to run for the open senate seat which he would do the next day. After the world had been made aware of what a supposedly brilliant husband and father he was. Harry felt a quiet sense of satisfaction as they waited for the article to be delivered to them. He was a little nervous about Norman’s immediate reaction but he’d sat through a beating before and was willing to take one more if it was the last time.</p><p>Things had been….fine, since the incident with Harley. Norman had backed off and so had Beck as a result, Harley’s cut had left a little scar which the boys explained away as Harley having an accident with scissors, which most people seemed willing to believe. Harley was always showing up with some strangely acquired injury or another. Peter’s slightly weird behaviour had continued and he still seemed especially protective of his backpacks and was locking his bedroom door a lot more than usual. Harry heard Ben and May joking that Peter was starting to hit puberty too.</p><p>“I’ve got the E-mail!” Beck suddenly announced. Harry cringed as he heard Mary clap her hands together in excitement and watched as she and Norman gathered around Beck’s laptop and got their first reads of Everhart’s expose on the family.</p><p>“This is good, this is good” Norman said as he scanned down the document, “A lot about our work with the vets, Mary’s charity work….hey, they even got me playing baseball with the boys in there. A bit about Peter’s illness, that was a good suggestion Beck…”</p><p>“Sick kid sympathy works every time” Beck said with a smile.</p><p>“I would never exploit my sons illness like that, Beck” Mary snapped, “And the fact you have such an outlook on Peter’s epilepsy is disgusting. The only reason I told Christine about that was to raise awareness over the issue and nothing more. Don’t ever let me hear you say anything like that again.”</p><p>Harry, Peter and Harley all held back smirks. They loved it when Mary would snap at Quentin every now and then, especially because Norman had to go along with it in front of his wife.</p><p>“Beck-Bot malfunctioning” Harley smirked as the three brothers watched Beck stumble out an apology to a still furious looking Mary.</p><p>The conversation carried on and Harry got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as it slowly dawned on him that Christine had not printed any of what he’d told her. Nothing about the demeaning nicknames Norman had given them all. Nothing about the way Harry had been beaten by his father for longer than he could remember not being. Nothing about how he’d now started hitting Harley as well, an innocent nine-year old.</p><p>Christine had lied.</p><p>She’d told him she’d help fix things and she’d lied.</p><p>Mary seemed unaware of her eldest son’s turmoil as everyone gathered in the penthouse later on that evening for dinner and drinks to celebrate. Ben and May. Richard Parker. Steven Westcott. Peter and Harley, who knew nothing about Harry’s plans, just stared at their brother with mild concern as he sunk further and further into his chair as the night went on.</p><p>He excused himself before desert had even been served, feigning a stomach ache and took himself off to his bedroom.</p><p>Curling up on his bed, Harry fell apart as it dawned on him what a failure he really was. His brother’s were out there, full of pain and hurt because he wasn’t good enough to protect them. His mother was draping her arms around a man she loved, unaware he was hurting her sons. The sobs came out thick and fast but no one came for him, they were too busy celebrating.</p><p>Then, at midnight, two familiar figures came into his room and Harry felt his heart warm a little when his brothers lay down next to him and draped their arms over him. Normally, Harry would have insisted on switching things around, he hated being comforted. He didn’t deserve it but tonight, Harry Osborne did not have the strength to reject comfort. He didn’t have the strength to tell himself that he didn’t deserve his brother’s love tonight.</p><p>Because maybe he didn’t deserve it.</p><p>But he needed it.</p><p>God, he needed it.</p><p>“Don’t be sad, Harry” Harley whispered, “We’re here now, we’ll look after you, just like how you always look after us.”</p><p>“We love you, Harry” Peter added, “We love you so much. You’re the best big brother in the world and you’re always here for us, let us be here for you.”</p><p>Harry nodded as Peter wiped some of the tears away from his eyes and Harley gently pulled the covers up over him. His hand fumbled and eventually met Peter’s who squeezed it softly as Peter tucked himself in to Harry’s side and yawned.</p><p>“I love you” Harry told them both, “I’m sorry I’m not a better brother. You guys deserve so much better than me. So much better than this whole stupid family.”</p><p>Neither of them replied. Harley had already fallen asleep, and Peter was frowning, probably dealing with some problem of his own he didn’t want to burden Harry with. Harry wanted to reach out and let Peter know that whatever his problem was, he could tell him right now and Harry would be able to fix it. At least, he hoped he would.</p><p>Mary stopped by not long after Peter had finally fallen asleep. Normally, Harry would let her know he was still awake and they would have a little talk, but tonight he pretended to be asleep. He ignored Mary as she cooed, sat on the end of his bed and stroked each of their hair with affection. But it felt different now. Hollow.</p><p>Harry was….he felt angry with her, for some reason. She was meant to be their mother, she always told them that no one knew them better than she did but what good were songs about being there for them no matter what when she couldn’t see what was right in front of her.</p><p>Harry and his brothers were suffering, and where was she? She was cozying up to the man who was hurting them without a care in the world. She couldn’t see their pain.</p><p>Mary kissed him on the forehead and he tried very hard not to allow himself to bask in her love. Something broke in Harry Osborne that night.</p><p>Once she had gone, Harry looked at his brothers. All he had was them. He’d known it before, but it was like now he could really see it, no one was coming to save them.</p><p>It would have to be him.</p><p>And there was nothing, absolutely nothing, in the world that Harry wouldn’t do for his brothers.</p><p>*</p><p>The only consolation ended up being that the article detailing what a fantastic father and potential senator Norman Osborne would make was duly bumped off the front pages the next day. By the very man whom it would sting Norman the most to be usurped by.</p><p>Tony Stark had returned from Afghanistan. The Osborne boys might not have known it yet, but their long journey to safety and freedom had just begun.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hope that wasn't too bleak, i am trying to add as much fluff as i can where i can but we are in for a rough ride.</p><p>please feel free to leave a comment, they really help motivate me when i start doubting this story/my own writing,<br/>hope you enjoyed (if that's even the word),<br/>stay safe,<br/>much love,<br/>jamie<br/>xxxx</p></blockquote></div></div>
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